SU health publication to go statewide, add merchandise

SU health publication to go statewide, add merchandiseOctober 13, 2005

“Healthy you,” SU’s student-run health newsmagazine, is seeking subscribers at two- and four-year colleges across New York and has a line of merchandise at the University Bookstore. The magazine, which is published in the spring and fall, is produced by the College of Human Services and Health Professions in collaboration with SU’s Divisions of Undergraduate Studies and Student Affairs. The student-directed publication provides health news and information in a student-friendly format, with the goal of building healthier campus communities.

“In an effort to broaden our reach, we wanted to make the magazine more accommodating and connect this product with other schools across the region and across the state,” says Luvenia W. Cowart, assistant dean of student affairs and special projects and editorial director of the publication. More than 300 newly designed brochures, describing “healthy you” and detailing subscription rates, were sent out to colleges and universities and other facilities, including health agencies. To be more inclusive, the magazine’s name has been shortened to “healthy you,” from “healthy you@SU.”

“Our students are very excited about the development possibility,” says Cowart “These initiatives are moving the magazine forward from a total perspective.”

Although the editorial content will remain the same, writers will be asked to be more encompassing when thinking about resources. “For example, if there is an article concerning rape, we would not direct readers to a center on SU’s campus, but a counseling center on any campus,” she says.

Along with new subscriptions, staff members hope the magazine’s visibility will grow with the merchandise line, which includes T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats andwater bottles. “We live in a very health-conscious time and we want to stimulate the interests of the SU community in terms of this wave of health and wellness,” Cowart says. There are items with “healthy you@SU” designs and others with just the “healthy you” logo. “We wanted to reach out to those individuals who aren’t necessarily members of the SU community, but who are also health conscious,” she says.

To further develop the magazine, Cowart will teach a one-credit course in the spring, Health Writing @ “healthy you,” in recognition of the students’ work. Students involved with the magazine put many hours into the final product and come from colleges across campus, including HSHP, the Newhouse School, the College of Visual and Performing Arts and The College of Arts and Sciences.

“The student editorial board members are just so wonderful because they come together as a group to volunteer their time, simply because of their interest,” Cowart says. “It is quite meaningful to offer a course so students get academic credit for the work they have been doing all along.”

For more information on healthy you, call (315) 443-9808 or e-mail Cowartat lwcowart@syr.edu.